Method for protecting pump components

ABSTRACT

A method for protecting pump components by coating moving components with an amorphous carbon material. Components that preferably receive such coating include the plunger, barrel, traveling valve ball and seat, and standing valve ball and seat. Other components may also be coated. The coating thickness is preferably in the range of between about 0.0002″ and 0.030″. In one embodiment, at least two coating layers are applied, with the coating layers having different colored appearances so as to facilitate inspection for wearing away of the coating material.

RELATED APPLICATION

This is a continuation-in-part of Ser. No. 10/630,694, filed Jul. 30, 2003 in the name of the same inventor hereof, and to which priority is claimed.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates generally to pumping systems and, more specifically, to a method for reducing wear and tear on pumping system components.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

During down-hole pumping operations, various pumping components are subject to wear and tear caused by repeated sliding or other movement that involves contact with another component. For example, repeated movement of the ball relative to the seat (in each of the traveling valve and standing valve) causes wear to both of these components. Rubbing of the plunger against the barrel, during up and down movement of the plunger relative to the barrel, is similarly wearing. In general, pump components that are in sliding or other moving relationship to each other are subject to friction-caused wear and tear.

To impart resistance to friction-caused wear and tear, prior art components are chromed, coated with nickel carbide, or hardened. This provides some limited protection, but improved protection, and thus longer life for pump components, is desired.

The present invention satisfies this need and provides other, related, applications.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is an object of the present invention to provide a method for reducing friction-caused wear and tear on pump components.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide a method for reducing friction-caused wear and tear on pump components through a method of coating such components with an improved protective coating material.

It is a still further object of the present invention to provide a method for reducing friction friction-caused wear and tear through a coating process, and to provide an improved ability to detect wearing away of coating material.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Initially, some of the basic moving components of a fluid pumping system should be noted. Such components include a plunger, which travels within a barrel. The barrel is itself received within tubing. It further includes a traveling valve, which is opened and closed by movement of a ball that is received within a seat. (There term “ball” as used herein is intended to include valves.) Yet further, the apparatus will typically include a standing valve, which is similarly activated by movement of a ball/valve that is received within a seat.

According to one embodiment of the method of the present invention, it will be desired to coat pump components that are subject to friction-caused wear and tear with a protective coating. The protective coating should be amorphous carbon which, when applied, will have a Rockwell hardness in the range of 90 or greater. This will impart a ceramic like hardness to the applied surface. The thickness of the applied coating should be maintained within the range of between about 0.0002″ and 0.030″. Amorphous carbon of the type preferred for use as described herein is available from Armoloy of Illinois, located in DeKalb Ill.

Testing has shown that an amorphous carbon coating to pump components becomes integral with the base metal, and does not chip or peel during bending impact and normal operational flexing. It can operate successfully at temperatures up to about 1400 Fahrenheit with no adverse effects on either the coating or on base metal integrity. The coating greatly reduces surface friction between sliding and mating components, as compared to prior art methods, and eases assembly and disassembly. It further provides substantial anti-galling and anti-fretting corrosion protection.

Amorphous carbon may be applied to a variety of pump components that are vulnerable to friction-caused wear and tear. It is preferred, in particular, to apply it to balls/valves, seats, plungers, and barrels. (The term “barrel” as used herein is intended to include sleeves.) Other components may be coated as well, including valve rods, valve-rod bushings, threads, gears, bearings, the PC pump-rotor, and chokes.

Preferably, components that are involved in friction-caused wear and tear with each other are both coated. For example, both a traveling valve ball and traveling valve seat should each be coated as described herein. However, the coating of even one of two components that slide or otherwise move relative to each other should confer some of the benefits described herein.

It should be noted that it may be desired to blend the amorphous carbon with chrome or nickel, and to thereby apply a mixed coating to the pump components. Application may also be accomplished through the use of vapor technology, or by other desired methods.

In one embodiment, two or more layers of amorphous carbon material are used to coat the desired object. In this embodiment, each layer is differently colored. For example, one layer may be uncolored and a second layer may have a coloring agent added thereto, or each layer could have a different coloring agent added thereto. It may be desired to provide, for example, three layers, with each layer having a different colored appearance. More than three layers may also be desired for certain embodiments.

The benefit of providing different colored layers is that the wearing of the carbon material can be more readily determined by a visual inspection that is focused on the color of the exposed surface. For example, if there are two layers of coating material, with the covering layer being yellow and the underlying layer being red, the appearance of red color in an area indicates that a layer of amorphous carbon material has been worn away in that region. That can indicate that it would be desired to either replace the affected part, or to re-apply one or more layers of carbon material at least to the worn area or perhaps generally to the part.

The advantage of applying more than two colored layers of carbon material is that the visual inspection can be more precise. For example, if there are three layers of material, each having a thickness of 0.002″ (for a total thickness of 0.006″), and only the top layer is worn away, the inspector can conclude that 0.004″ of material remain. When the second layer is then worn away, the inspector will recognize that only 0.002″ of material is still present.

It should be noted that in the performance of an inspection step, it may be desired to utilize a magnifying device so that even small areas of worn material can be detected.

The use of a multi-colored, layering process can be beneficial with respect to any object that can benefit from the application of an amorphous carbon coating and a more precise ability to inspect for wear. This includes components that are not connected to down-hole pumping operations. Examples would include bearings, sleeves, pistons, and impellers.

While the invention has been particularly shown and described with reference to preferred embodiments thereof, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that the foregoing and other changes in form and details may be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. 

1. A method for reducing wear and tear on components in a fluid-pumping system, comprising the steps of: providing a first component of a fluid pumping system; providing a second component of a fluid pumping system that is in moving contact with said first component during operation of said fluid-pumping system, such that said moving contact tends to cause wear and tear on at least one of said first component and said second component over time; coating at least one of said first component and said second component with amorphous carbon.
 2. The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of coating each of said first component and said second component with amorphous carbon.
 3. The method of claim 1 wherein said coating step involves application of an amorphous carbon coating having a thickness within the range of between about 0.0002″ and 0.030″.
 4. The method of claim 1 wherein said first component is a ball.
 5. The method of claim 4 wherein said second component is a seat.
 6. The method of claim 1 wherein said first component is a plunger.
 7. The method of claim 6 wherein said second component is a barrel.
 8. A method for reducing wear and tear on components in a fluid-pumping system, comprising the steps of: providing a fluid pumping system including a traveling valve ball, a traveling valve seat, a standing valve ball, a standing valve seat, a plunger and a barrel; and coating each of said traveling valve ball, traveling valve seat, standing valve ball, standing valve seat, plunger and barrel with amorphous carbon.
 9. The method of claim 8 wherein said coating step involves application of an amorphous carbon coating having a thickness within the range of between about 0.0002″ and 0.030″.
 10. A method for reducing wear and tear on an object comprising the steps of: providing an object to be coated; and coating said object with at least a first layer and a second layer of amorphous carbon; wherein said first layer and said second layer have different colored appearances relative to each other.
 11. The method of claim 10 further comprising the step of coating said object with a third layer of amorphous carbon, wherein each of said first layer, said second layer, and said third layer have different colored appearances relative to each other.
 12. The method of claim 10 wherein said object is a ball.
 13. The method of claim 10 wherein said object is a seat.
 14. The method of claim 10 wherein said object is a plunger.
 15. The method of claim 10 wherein said object is a barrel.
 16. The method of claim 10 wherein said object is a bearing.
 17. The method of claim 10 wherein said object is a sleeve.
 18. The method of claim 10 wherein said object is a piston.
 19. The method of claim 10 wherein said object is an impeller. 